(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Quarterback Tanner Mangum is interviewed by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Safeties coach Preston Hadley, nursing a broken leg is filmed as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Squally Canada is interviewed by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Assistant head coach Ed Lamb makes the interview rounds as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Assistant head coach Ed Lamb makes the interview rounds as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) JJ Nwigwe is interviewed by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Quarterback Tanner Mangum is interviews by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brayden El-Bakri is interviewed by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former BYU football player Jamaal Williams, now with the Green Bay Packers gets on the BYU Radio set with Spencer Linton, left, and Jarom Jordan, center, as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) New uniforms are on display as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018, as head coach Kalani Sitake makes the interview rounds.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former BYU football player Bronson Kaufusi, left, with the Baltimore Ravens joins this brother Corbin, currently playing for BYU as during the eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fred Warner with the San Francisco 49ers and former BYU player is interviewed by BYU radio's Jarom Jordan during eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Moroni Laulu-Pututau is interviewed by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tight end Moroni Laulu-Pututau and quarterback Tanner Mangum are put through a round of the game Speak Out during an interview as part of the eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tight end Moroni Laulu-Pututau and quarterback Tanner Mangum share a laugh during an interview as part of the eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018, as head coach Kalani Sitake makes the interview rounds.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Cousins Beau Hoge, left, and Tristen try to guess the names held up to their foreheads during an interview as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Corbin Kaufusi, left, defensive lineman for BYU is joined by his brother former BYU football player Bronson Kaufusi, during the eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tight end Moroni Laulu-Pututau left, and quarterback Tanner are prepped for interviews during their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former BYU football player Jamaal Williams, now with the Green Bay Packers works the selfie camera during media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Zach Katoa is interviewed by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Pass game coordinator Aaron Roderick is interviewed by the media as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) I was up next till I got bumped by the big man, exclaims Vince Feula, right, defensive graduate assistant as he teases Bronson Kaufusi with the Baltimore Ravens, left, and former BYU football players as they wait to do recruiting interviews during football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former BYU football player Jamaal Williams, now with the Green Bay Packers works the selfie camera during media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Assistant head coach Ed Lamb makes the interview rounds as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former BYU football player Bronson Kaufusi, with the Baltimore Ravens attends the eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Micah Simon is interviewed by the media BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018, as head coach Kalani Sitake makes the interview rounds.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018, as head coach Kalani Sitake makes the interview rounds.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Current BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, left, greets his predecessor Rondo Fehlberg as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Former BYU football players gone pro Jamaal Williams, left, with the Green Bay Packers and Fred Warner now with the San Francisco 49ers tease each other during an interview as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU receiver Micah Simon, right, attempts to play the game Speak Out with teammate Troy Warner as BYU hosts their eighth-annual football media day at the BYU-Broadcasting Building on Friday, June 22, 2018.

Provo • BYU’s long-term contract with ESPN and a six-game series with Notre Dame were two of the biggest attractions of the school’s move to football independence in 2011.

The deal with ESPN soon will be subject to renewal again and the Cougars have played only two games vs. the Fighting Irish. Progress is being made on both fronts, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said Friday.

Having been extended by one year through 2019, the ESPN contract is being discussed informally, Holmoe said during a “State of the Program” broadcast on BYUtv as part of the school’s Football Media Day. Questions exist about BYU’s programming value after a 4-9 season in a changing media landscape, but Holmoe sounded confident that the arrangement would continue beyond 2019.

“We have a very good relationship with ESPN,” Holmoe said.

ESPN analyst Trevor Matich, a former BYU player, said his bosses “see BYU as a great draw in the college football world.”

BYU’s upcoming home schedule works in the Cougars’ favor, providing potential ESPN programming. The Cougars will host Michigan State and Houston in 2020 and Utah, Arizona State, South Florida and Virginia in 2021.

BYU visited Notre Dame in 2012 and ’13, but the Fighting Irish have not come to Provo for the scheduled third game and the second 2-for-1 series was scratched, partly due to the Irish’s partial Atlantic Coast Conference schedule. Holmoe spoke of “good discussions” with Notre Dame, suggesting that a game will be booked — as opposed to a buyout.

Playing the Irish, Holmoe said, will be “better than [receiving] a check.”

Ex-Leopards missing

Former East High School stars Ula Tolutau and Joe Tukuafu no longer are on BYU’s roster. Coach Kalani Sitake did not disclose the reasons for the players’ absence from the program since spring drills ended in April.

Tolutau rushed for 303 yards in seven games last season, before being cited for possession of marijuana in October. Tukuafu, a tight end, sat out last season after originally having signed with Utah State.

BYU is listing four co-starters at running back: Squally Canada, Zach Katoa, Riley Burt and Kavika Fonua. At tight end, sophomore Matt Bushman is a returning starter, backed up by JJ Nwigwe and Moroni Laulul-Pututau, who missed last season due to injury.

Coach recovering

Troy Warner’s health is improving after a foot injury kept him out of spring practice, and he’s scheduled to move from cornerback to safety. His position coach also expects to be ready for preseason practice in August.

Preston Hadley’s left foot is in a boot and he’s using a scooter after having surgery, stemming from an injury last December. As a Weber State assistant coach, Hadley hurt himself walking down the stairs of Southern Utah’s press box at halftime of an FCS playoff game. The injury was diagnosed several months later.